DLA Piper announced today that Raphael Larson has joined the firm’s Litigation practice group as a partner in Washington, DC.

Larson most recently served as associate director in the Division of Enforcement and Investigations with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), a not-for-profit corporation chartered by the US Congress as part of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to oversee auditors of US public companies. While at the PCAOB, Larson led numerous enforcement investigations and litigations involving domestic and international accounting firms. He also regularly coordinated enforcement matters with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and other foreign and domestic regulatory bodies.

“Raphael will be a strong asset in Washington as we look to expand the firm’s growing accountant liability practice,” said Jeff Lehrer, managing partner of DLA Piper's Washington, DC, office. “With his accounting knowledge and unparalleled experience over the past 12 years at the PCAOB, Raphael is well positioned to advise audit firms and auditors before regulatory bodies and in litigation matters.”

“Amid the shifting landscape in Washington, we believe the PCAOB is poised to remain active and likely will continue to pursue new matters aggressively,” said Jim Brogan, US co-chair of DLA Piper's Litigation practice. “Raphael will be an important addition to our already talented team as we continue to provide important counsel to clients in the global accounting arena.”

Larson is the latest addition to the firm’s growing Litigation practice in Washington, DC, which recently welcomed Matthew Graves, and Louis Ramos. The practice has also made a number of notable additions elsewhere in the US, including Eric Christofferson (Boston), George Karavetsos (Miami), David Sager (Short Hills, New Jersey), and Thiru Vignarajah (Baltimore).

Larson received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, and a B.S. with honors in accounting from Portland State University.

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